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Social Workers Placed Children With Florida Relative With Lengthy Arrest Record The Associated PressPublished: May 10, 2003 SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) - Police say three children were beaten and one was sexually molested after social workers placed them with a relative who had a lengthy criminal arrest record that included indecent exposure. The Family Continuity Program, an agency funded by Florida's embattled Department of Children & Families, did only a local background check on Mervin Kitnurse, missing a string of arrests in south Florida dating from 1996, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported. He had been on parole for indecent exposure as recently...

Panel blames child's DCF workers, caretakers for deception Monday, May 27, 2002 By CATHERINE WILSON, Associated Press MIAMI - The disappearance of a 5-year-old girl went unnoticed for 15 months because two low-level state workers and her caretakers deceived the state's child-welfare system, a review panel concluded Sunday. A committee named by Gov. Jeb Bush accused the workers and the sisters caring for Rilya Wilson of malfeasance for submitting paperwork falsely indicating she was in their care and being visited regularly. "There was fraud perpetrated here," Sara Herald, the child-welfare expert on the four-member panel, said as the group...

New missing-girl files released Florida lawyer had asked about child's caseworker in August 05/26/2002 New York Times News Service MIAMI - A lawyer representing the Florida Department of Children and Families made an urgent plea last August for information about Rilya Wilson, a Miami girl under state protection who had vanished seven months earlier, child-welfare records show. Even with the plea, however, the girl's absence went unnoticed by the state for eight more months. The records, released late Friday under court order, also show that the Miami-Dade police are investigating the girl's guardian, Geralyn Graham, and her caseworker, Deborah...

What Rilya Wilson May Look Like Today: Age-enhanced photo of Rilya Wilson, to Age 5. To read the entire press release from the FL Dept of Law Enforcement, click here.

DNA Of Foster Child In Pasco Being Compared With Rilya'sBy LISA A. DAVIS ldavis@tampatrib.comPublished: May 14, 2002 PORT RICHEY - Investigators searching for Rilya Wilson, the girl who disappeared from state supervision 16 months ago, looked toward the Tampa Bay area during the weekend. Foster parents in west Pasco County called authorities Saturday night when they suspected a young girl in their care could be the Miami-Dade child who vanished in January 2001. The child is 5, the same age Rilya would be, and has similar features, including a scar near her abdomen, Port Richey police Lt. Bill Sager said...

Focus on Search for Missing Child Continues FLORIDA OFFICIALS CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON SEARCH FOR MISSING CHILD --DNA Results Released: "Precious Doe" Not Rilya Wilson-- TALLAHASSEE- DNA test results released Friday by the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department confirm that "Precious Doe" is not Rilya Wilson. With this latest development, law enforcement is vigorously continuing the search for Rilya Wilson, the missing five year-old from Miami. "Our heart goes out to those who loved Precious Doe and we continue to remain hopeful that little Rilya will be found," said Governor Jeb Bush. "We pledge our unwavering support to law...

GOV BUSH PRAISES NEW BILLS THAT MAKES FALSIFYING STATE RECORDS A FELONY --Legislation and Blue Ribbon Panel Key to Protecting Children in Future-- TALLAHASSEE- Governor Jeb Bush today applauded the Florida Senate and the Florida House for their work in passing Senate Bill 76-E and House Bill 71-E. Governor Bush also urged the House to take up and pass the legislation that was returned to them by the Senate. "Rilya Wilson's story has shown us, all too well, the tragedy that results when those entrusted with protecting our children take their responsibility lightly," said Governor Bush. "Lying on state records...